Promotion and application of the ITS

The government, the industry and the universities are working together to meet the challenge of maintaining and further improving the same safe, efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly transport system in Hong Kong.

Introducing the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) 2000 Forum organised by the Transport Department today (Wednesday), the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Robert Footman, highlighted the need to arouse the awareness of the ITS, which was essential for the local development of an ITS vision and strategy.

He said that the Forum marked a new era in public and private collaboration in the ITS development in Hong Kong.

The Transport Department was ready to support the ITS Hong Kong, an organisation which was likely to start with private sector initiatives to promote ITS applications, added Mr Footman.

On the ITS strategy, the department has made good progress on building the foundation stone for its formulation.

"We have decided to provide advanced and comprehensive traffic control and surveillance equipment on all new Strategic Road Network (SRN) and, when the opportunity arises, to retrofit such equipment on the existing SRN roads," said Mr Footman.

A state-of-the-art Traffic Management and Information Centre which would become a hub for seamless communication among different traffic control centres would be established, he added.

The Transport Department will also conduct a comprehensive review later this year to

	consolidate the technology findings of the various studies;
	review the current and potential development of ITS both in Hong Kong and overseas;
	conduct surveys and travellers demand analysis to identify suitable and viable ITS applications;
	conduct technical evaluation and cost-benefit analysis, accord priorities and formulate an implementation programme for the potential applications; and
	determine the requirements for technical standards, legislative amendments, funding sources, re-engineering processes and other institutional issues relating to collaboration between Government and the private sector.

Mr Footman said that although several studies done by the department did help look into a wide range of technologies suitable for ITS applications, there was a need for continuous research and development.

The role would continue to be played by the industry, by the universities and by the government, he said.

The Forum which had drawn together many guests from various government bodies, transport operators, private companies as well as local universities was not an isolated exercise, and more seminars on the ITS would be held to facilitate the exchange and upkeep of information in the field, he added.

A series of presentations were made by the guests following Mr. Footman's speech. Topics of the presentations included Electronic Road Pricing Technology, research schemes of the universities, bus fleet management system and the mobilization system of the Fire Services Department.

Wednesday, February 16, 2000